San Lucas Mexican Restaurant

Are you looking for a delicious, authentic Mexican meal? San Lucas in Camden, NJ is the place! From the colorful, Latin-themed interior, to the friendly service, this place is totally worth the trip. Located only 10 minutes from the downtown, San Lucas is a convenient, quick, and tasty option for students, jurors, and, most importantly, people who love authentic Mexican food. My friend and I went on a weekday around 4:30pm and found absolutely no wait time. We were in and out within about 45 minutes, which was especially convenient as we had to head back to the Rutgers University- Camden campus for classes. With the self seating style, we got a table easily and did not have to wait more than 5 minutes before we were approached for our drink and food orders. The waitress spoke English (and was totally nice about us butchering our orders in Spanish), which made it very easy for us to communicate our thanks at the end of the meal for such a great experience. After we ordered, they also served us chips with refried beans and cheese, along with an assortment of sauces, at no extra cost. There was everything from familiar salsas to a green sauce (which I believe was tomatillo) that was so good I ultimately ended up putting it on my main course. My friend and I both got burritos, which was the best decision we could have made. I got the breaded shrimp and my friend, who has unique dietary needs, was able to get a veggie option. The waitress and cooks were very accommodating with her request. The burritos were massive in size, especially considering the low prices, and came out within 15 minutes of us ordering. The portions sizes were so large that I could barely finish. Both of us thought that our meals were absolutely delicious (and definitely better than Chipotle)! Another excellent part about San Lucas is its location. Even though it was right on Federal Street (which is usually metered parking), there are smaller streets intersecting the main road where you can park for free. This area of Camden is pretty bustling with locals, and feels very safe due to the volume of people out and about. I hate to even have to say it, but don’t let negative stereotypes about Camden keep you from eating here! San Lucas is a gem not only amongst restaurants in the city, but stands out as one of the best Mexican restaurants that I’ve eaten at in the Philadelphia-South Jersey region. Make sure you check it out!

-Miranda Stafford